Samsung’s A series has been one of the most popular mid-range smartphones on the market for years. The South Korean company likes to add one or the other feature to its affordable smartphones of the A-series that we actually only know from the high-priced luxury class. We want to take a look at the Samsung Galaxy A52 and A72. Will Samsung once again succeed in creating a real price-performance hit?
First smartphone of the A series presented in January
We already had a first look at one of the new smartphones from Samsung’s popular A-series in January. However, the Galaxy A32 5G was in the focus. Now, the tech company is launching two more affordable mid-range smartphones. Unlike the A32 5G that was introduced at the beginning of the year, there seems to be no reason to complain about the A52 and A72, at least on paper. After all, the company has opted for an OLED instead of a cheap TFT display this time, much to the delight of its user base. This decision of the A32 left many pissed off.
With the A52 (5G) and A72, the 2021 A-series is now complete. A look at the two new additions will surely make other mid-range smartphones turn green with envy. Besides high-contrast and color-intensive AMOLED, the two Galaxys also have a waterproof case. What might sound like a standard for many is still far from arriving at all manufacturers in the mid-range. Even Samsung only reserved protection against dust and liquids for its flagships. The A52 and A72 now come with an IP67 certification.
A52: Is it still mid-range?
It is really amazing how much technology Samsung allows its mid-range to have. The manufacturer has always stood for brilliant displays. Accordingly, the A52 also uses a 6.5-inch AMOLED that resolves with 2400 x 1080 pixels. The refresh rate is 90 Hz, which is not common in the mid-range. If you opt for the 5G version of the A52, you even get 120 Hz. We really only know that from the upper class. The A52 also has a lot to offer under the hood.
Samsung relies on a powerful Snapdragon CPU from Qualcomm. It comes with 8 cores. Furthermore, the smartphone has a quad camera. It takes pictures with 64 megapixels and also serves as a video camera for sharp 4K recordings with 30 fps. The aforementioned main camera is joined by an ultra-wide-angle, macro and depth camera. The camera’s positive impression is rounded off by the built-in optical image stabilizer. We don’t know this from the mid-range.
A72: No 5G, but larger display
Those who want something bigger should take a look at the Galaxy A72. This comes with a screen diagonal of 6.7 inches and offers a refresh rate of 90 Hz. The resolution is also 2400 x 1080 pixels. Samsung also relies on the same processor features as in the smaller A52. However, improvements can be found in the camera. The telephoto lens of the quad-camera in the A72 offers a triple optical zoom. A real downer is probably the lack of 5G. However, we would be surprised if Samsung does not launch an upgrade version in this regard.
Much performance for little money
If you take a look at the two new smartphones of the A-series, the question quickly arises why you should still spend a lot of money for a flagship of the upper class. Here, the South Koreans combine a brilliant display with a powerful camera and an enduring battery. According to the manufacturer, the latter can last up to two days.
So far, we only know a similarly good value for money from the Chinese competition, such as Xiaomi. We are curious whether Samsung can keep its hard-won throne in the mid-range. The Galaxy A52 and A72 will definitely be a great support.
Prices and availability
The two mid-range smartphones are available now from Samsung’s online store and relevant retailers. The MSRP of the Galaxy A52 starts at 349 Euros. For this you get 6 GB of RAM and 128 GB of internal storage. Alternatively, you can also get the A52 with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of internal storage for an MSRP of 409 Euros. With 5G on board, it costs 429 Euros and 489 Euros, respectively. The MSRP of the slightly bigger Galaxy A72 is 449 Euros for 6 GB RAM and 128 GB storage. However, there is no larger version available here.
